#ace till

Till barely remembered when it all started. Perhaps when he began to forget his sketchbook with pencils more and more often in class after class. Perhaps when he threw another finished album into a drawer, where a whole mountain was formed, and for weeks he forgot to buy a new one.

Among the endless classes at the academy, getting up at five in the morning to take two trains to classes at this very academy, the pain in his fingers from the ointment; the constant need to carry an endless amount of drawing supplies with him, as well as the pain in his eyes after hours of drawing still lifes, which forced him to start wearing glasses (from- for which his pocket expenses were cut off), - all this caused fatigue.

Fatigue accumulated.

Accumulated.

Apathy consumed him more and more. There were more and more comments about being late for classes. And with each passing day, getting out of bed gets harder, as does opening your eyes.

And on one of those days, his classmate from a drawing class took him out for lunch - Till wasn't listening to what he was saying, but it was unlikely that the reasons he listed were sincere - and sitting in the shade of a tree from the soaring sun, they somehow started talking about idols. Till had never been interested in this topic, so their "conversation" was more one-sided.

Till admitted that he was a bad conversationalist (which is why he only has friends online), and that's why he only has good acquaintances in life, not friends. But, he tried to keep up the conversation, hoping to break out of the all-consuming apathy.

And all this led to the conversation turning to watching clips of different idols, and exchanging opinions. Till thought he was doing a good job, considering that he understood the topic like a bear riding a bike.

The noodles were eaten, the already warm energy drink was finally able to drink, there were fifteen minutes left before the end of the break, and they all continued to watch the clips. Until Till had to pause the video.

"What, did you like her?" his friend asks condescendingly, and then laughs, seeing how Till's face is wrinkled. "Don't worry, I'm joking. Everyone in our group knows that you have an ace up your sleeve."

Till jokingly punches the guy in the shoulder, and taking out a blank sheet on a folder, points with a pencil at the phone. Then he turns on the clip to pause it again.

"This outfit doesn't suit her," Till says seriously, and starts sketching, feeling like she's leaning on his shoulder. “thanks.”